Dear Editor,
A Mr Anand Persaud wrote a letter entitled “The whole of E.C.D. is traumatised, not only Buxton” (KN 08.04.23) in which he asked 16 questions and used my name 16 times in a fashion normally associated with a judge asking questions or someone smirkingly shouting “I got you”.
Is Anand Persaud genuine in his search for truth or someone who may be practicing “identity theft”, or someone who is taking ghost writing to another level of mischief and propaganda. I settled for ghost writing because this writer uses a well worn approach of “soft-hard love” to project a kinder, gentler approach while hiding his cynical contempt of his “got ya now”. Thus he started his letter with “He (Mr Phillips) should be commended for providing support for his Afro-Guyanese brothers. Please permit me to ask Mr Phillips some questions, if I may:”
To accommodate this peculiar approach, I will use his own format to answer him.
1. Didn’t the Guyana government provide financial reimbursement to the Buxton farmers for the hardship that they and their children endured as a result of the operation of the Joint Services?
No. This hardship started in 2002. In the most recent escalation, very little has been paid to the farmers, less than 25% of that promised and an insignificant amount compared to the damage done to their crops. There also has been nothing paid for the hardships their children have been enduring since 2002. Now, their livelihoods have been totally destroyed, a prelude to forced poverty for fruits (mangoes etc ) and vegetables don’t produce the day after you plant them.
2. Were the operations of the Joint Services in Buxton necessary and long overdue? All law-abiding Guyanese will think so.